A Power Play
by SouthernSinfonian
Summary: When a young Judge Advocate meets a captivating senatorial aide, can he turn a chance encounter into a romance? Even if he can, who will wear the pants in the relationship? Forget court, forget the high seas, forget Congress, the real battles are at home. Not a canon JAG story and no canon characters. Please read anyway, I think it can be a good one.
1. Chapter 1

_Walter Reed National Military Medical Center  
__Bethesda, Maryland  
__June 15, 2017  
_

Caroline Reynolds-Watson was quickly overawed as she walked onto the grounds of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Her eyes were drawn to the towering white spire which formed the center of the main complex. Even more so than the impressive architecture, she was consumed with the knowledge that so many sick and wounded servicemen were housed inside the facility.

Unlike many visitors to Walter Reed, Caroline was not a member of the military or even related to one. She was a legislative assistant to Brenda Daniels, a Missouri senator on the Armed Services Committee. As the assistant responsible for Senator Daniels's work in that committee, Caroline was one of the staff members who were accompanying the senator on her visit to the military hospital. The purpose of the visit was to evaluate the level of medical care being provided to wounded servicemen, but the senator's PR people would never have allowed her to leave without visiting some of the wounded.

"Keep up, Caroline. There are many heroes to visit, and we certainly do not have all day." Richard, Senator Daniels's executive assistant had noticed Caroline's pensive moment. He was determined to keep the senatorial party on schedule and was not about to allow the young assistant to fall behind. Forcing herself to not roll her eyes, she quickened her pace for the few steps that she needed to reach the rest of the group. _Over-glorified secretary…let's see him try to do _real_ political work for once._ To be fair, Caroline did not dislike Richard. He was a kind man who did his job very well, making the senator a good boss to everyone else on staff. It was only at times like this, when he acted like the staff alarm clock and cheerleader, that Caroline had just cause for annoyance.

As the group neared the front entrance to the hospital, a senior petty officer stepped forward to meet them. "Good morning, Senator. Welcome to Walter Reed. I am Command Master Chief Aaron Wilson. I'm the ranking enlisted member on site and I'll be conducting you to the CO's office. You'll have the opportunity to talk with him in private before he conducts your tour of the facilities."

Senator Daniels, a tall severe woman, looked down at the middle-aged sailor. "Thank you, Master Chief. Lead on." The Navy man nodded, then turned and escorted them into the hospital. The senator wasted no time in beginning her evaluation. "Tell me, Master Chief, what are your duties here at the medical center?" She did not look at him as she tendered the question. Rather, her eyes swept the hospital, noting the activities of the staff.

"Ma'am, I work closely with Rear Admiral Dawkins in running and maintaining the hospital. That means less day-to-day interaction with patients and more administrative work. Significant incident reports go through me, I'm on a panel that reviews proposed research, I distribute memoranda to department heads, and I have other administrative tasks."

"Including babysitting senators," Senator Daniels quipped with a wry grin.

"Yes ma'am." Chief Wilson suddenly realized what he'd just agreed to. "Uh, no ma'am. That is, I don't mean to imply that I think of you as needing 'babysitting' per se, ma'am."

The senator laughed, a light harmless chuckle. "Don't worry about it, Master Chief. It was a joke, and perhaps a cruel one on my part. I know shuttling me around can't be the most fulfilling work you have here. Go ahead and tell me more about normal operations here at Walter Reed."

As the chief launched into a detailed rundown of the hospital and its capabilities, Caroline looked around at the hospital's lobbies and hallways. She was impressed at the cleanliness and efficiency of the facility. _It's calm enough to almost make me forget we've been at war for almost two decades._ In stark contrast to the bloody anarchy novels and movies portrayed as common occurrences in military hospitals, Walter Reed seemed to rival the most prestigious civilian medical centers. _That's 21__st__ century technology and administration for you_. She was pleasantly surprised at the number of nurses and technicians who smiled and nodded a greeting at the senatorial party. Those who wore the oak leaf insignia of the Navy Medical Corps far outnumbered their Army counterparts who wore the caduceus. Although Walter Reed was a tri-service facility, it was located on the site of the old National Navy Medical Center, and the Navy remained the most visible partner.

The soon found themselves in the office of Rear Admiral Phillip Dawkins, the commander of Walter Reed. The admiral cut a warm and fatherly figure. A former primary care physician, Dawkins seemed the embodiment of the healing nature of the medical field. Surgeons had to be cold and distant and, in Caroline's opinion, were not disposed to the nurturing disposition that the commander of a hospital needed. As Senator Daniels discussed funding and operational efficiency with the admiral, Caroline took notes on their conversation. She was surprised to hear that combat-related wounds and injuries were at their lowest points in years. A lot of resources seemed to be dedicated to the same medical procedures in civilian hospitals.

"To be honest, Senator, our people are just flat-out living longer. In addition, a lot of them would rather re-enlist than go out into the civilian job market. So we have older servicemen and women who just need the same medical checkups and treatments as anyone else." The admiral smiled. "While I admire their dedication, I wonder if we might be better served by re-establishing a younger Navy."

"Whether it's that or more resources for Walter Reed and other medical facilities, I'll do what I can to keep the military running at peak efficiency, especially where its medical capabilities are concerned." With that, Senator Daniels rose from her seat. "I think that's all I have for you, Admiral. If you would be so kind, I would love to see more of this noble facility."

Led by Rear Admiral Dawkins, the senator and her party began to wend their way through the corridors of the hospital. Caroline continued to take notes as Dawkins spoke, but had trouble keeping up while writing.

_Bzzzz…Bzzzz…_

Exasperated, Caroline looked down at her buzzing phone. She quickly ran and tapped another staff member on the shoulder. "It's Will from Armed Services. I have to take this." The staffer nodded; he wouldn't say anything about her absence if it wasn't discovered and would explain if it was. She answered the phone just as it was ringing for the last time. "Caroline Reynolds for Senator Daniels."

"_Hey, Caroline, it's Will Hart."_

"What is it, Will? Please don't tell me you have bad news."

"_I'm a committee staffer, not a senator's lapdog–"_

"Give it a rest, Hart."

"–_so I don't have the same estimation of good and bad as you."_

"What's going on?"

"_The Navy has recommended combining some installations in San Diego, and closing or selling the excess facilities."_

Caroline groaned. "That means Fernandez is never going to support sending money to the Navy anywhere else. Thanks for letting me know."

"_No problem. You know, if you want to repay me for this info…"_

A grin tugged at the mouth senatorial aide. "I told you, Will: find a way to make yourself at least thirty years younger and then we'll talk."

"_Well, can't blame a guy for trying."_

"True, but you don't have to reward him either."

"_Fair enough. Talk to you later, Caroline."_

"Bye. Thanks again. I'll see you in session next week."

She hung up, and made a frantic note about the conversation. Senator Jorge Fernandez, a Democrat from California was something of a rival to Senator Daniels. There was very little the two senators could agree on. He was on the Strategic Forces subcommittee while she chaired the Personnel subcommittee. While he was interested in machines and weapons, she concerned herself with the servicemen controlling them. It was no better on the Senate floor than in the committee: a California liberal and a Midwestern Republican were just not going to be friends. With the Navy consolidating their San Diego installations, there would be civilian job loss in Southern California. If Fernandez was unable to stop that, he would certainly try to retaliate in a way that would hurt Daniels, such as attempting to block her proposed funding increases for military hospitals. _Not good. We need a way to counter this._ Determined to work on it later, Caroline tucked her phone into her purse and moved to catch up to the group. She turned around the corner they had gone…and found herself facing a four-way intersection. _Oh no…which way did they go?_

* * *

As he left the hospital room, Lieutenant David Shen, a twenty-eight-year-old Navy Judge Advocate, chuckled to himself. He had just helped a wounded Marine lay the foundations for a will. The kid had never been in combat, or even a combat zone. He was in Walter Reed because he had broken a leg while preparing for a "friendly" Army-Navy football game on the Fourth of July. Still, being hospitalized had been enough to shake him up. Even if he wasn't in for a combat wound, it was difficult to forget just how easily he could return full of holes. _That_ was certainly a thought that made you feel the need to account for everything. As he dwelled on that last thought, David's smile turned into a frown. The Marine had been nineteen years old, with less than a year in the Corps. He shouldn't have had to even consider getting a will. When David had been nineteen, he'd been a student at the University of Miami. He'd spent his days busting his intellectual butt and his nights partying all over the Magic City, from South Beach to Brickell to Coconut Grove. Dying? Not even remotely on his mind. He hadn't even known the first thing about wills until law school. _To be fair, Lance Corporal Ruiz_ _didn't either. Still doesn't._

After taking a last look at his notes, he tucked them into his briefcase. He would take those notes and draft a preliminary version of the will. However, he would not see Lance Corporal Ruiz all the way through the will's completion. He was not assigned to Walter Reed for Legal Assistance, but was filling in for a Lieutenant Pierce who, unsurprisingly, had gotten sick while working in a hospital. David normally worked at the Washington Navy Yard for Command Services. Because of that, he wasn't used to working with enlisted men with little knowledge of the law. He normally assisted senior officers with interpreting civil and military law as necessary. His recent encounter with Ruiz left him feeling more frustrated than normal. He had no quarrel with the Marine, and thought he was a good kid; David was simply used to better-educated clients.

_Crap. Where is Lieutenant Pierce's office?_ After a few moments, he got his bearings and headed towards the legal offices. No sooner had he taken a few steps, than he heard a voice that sounded neither medical nor military. "Thanks again. I'll see you in session next week." Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, David turned the corner and saw a young woman. She was petite and _definitely _not military. The cut of her suit was professional yet stylish and her blonde hair was pulled back away from her face. She turned around and he saw that while she was undoubtedly pretty, her features were contorted in a worried frown. The expression soon changed, but from frustration to confusion. Looking for any excuse to talk to her, he approached her. "Miss, is something wrong?"

The girl looked at him. "Yes and no. I'm a legislative assistant to Senator Brenda Daniels. I was taking a call from the Armed Services Committee and got separated. I can call another staff member and find out where they are, but actually finding where that is could be difficult. I've never been here before."

Hoping his nervousness didn't show, David nodded. "No problem, miss. Go ahead and make the call and I'll get you there."

Finally, she broke into a smile. It was a pretty smile, with pale green eyes complimenting the soft angles of her face. "Thank you so much, Lieutenant." She retrieved her phone from her purse and dialed quickly. "Amelia, I lost track of you guys during that call. Where are you right now?" As the girl fell silent, ostensibly for Amelia to answer, David looked over the girl again. She was young, much younger than he would have expected a senatorial staffer to be. Despite that, she carried herself with all the poise of an experienced aide. "Immunology lab? It's a satellite building? Thanks so much. I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up and turned to face David. "They're in the immunology lab. Thank again, Lieutenant. I really appreciate it. My name is Caroline Reynolds, by the way."

David reached out and shook her extended hand. "I'm David Shen. Please no more of that 'Lieutenant' business. I get plenty of that, so hearing my actual name is nice every once in a while." He began to lead her down a hallway in the direction of the hospital's main elevators. _After that, it's just guessing and gambling._

"Fair enough, David." As they walked she glanced at the shoulder boards on his services whites. Recognition flicked across her face as she saw the millrind insignia. "Wait a minute. You're not a medical officer; you're a JAG lawyer."

He was surprised that she recognized the insignia and glanced over at her. "Pretty impressive, Caroline. How did you know that?"

She threw him a sly grin. "I _am_ a legislative aide to a senator on the Armed Services Committee."

"Well yeah, but-"

"And my dad's a lawyer, so I've met a couple of his law school buddies who joined the Navy to see the world and all that jazz." The grin spread from her mouth to her eyes as they reached the elevators.

David chuckled as they walked into an empty elevator. "You're not a woman to be underestimated, are you Caroline?"

The senatorial staffer rolled her eyes and groaned in exaggerated frustration. "Please don't call me that. I used to love being called a 'woman' when I was younger, but now I don't want to admit that I'm getting older. But I'm still twenty-five. I'd like to think I'm still young enough to be called a girl."

This time, David reacted with a hearty laugh and he held his hands up. "Woah there. That may have been the first time I've given offense in quite that way. But I can respect that. So how does a twenty-five-year-old get to be a legislative advisor for a senior senator on the Armed Services Committee?"

"The same way anyone gets a job in politics: kicking butt and _lot_ of networking. Honestly, I probably just got lucky. Right place, right time, you know?" As she said that, the elevator doors opened, revealing the ground floor of Walter Reed.

As they stepped out into the sunlit lobby, David stopped and turned to face her. "Okay, confession time. I don't actually know where the immunology lab is. In fact, this is only my third time at the hospital. I work at the Navy Yard and was just assigned here to cover for a sick Judge Advocate."

Shock rode freely on Caroline's face. "So you were planning on helping me…how?"

Sheepishly, David shrugged. "Well, I have a friend who works in the biomechanics lab, and I know where that is. It wouldn't surprise me if immunology is close by." I know they keep all the labs separate from the healthcare facilities. Accidental contamination, in either direction, would be bad."

Caroline sighed and shook her head, though a tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Well, at least you're trying to help me. That counts for something." They walked into the warm summer morning. "Wait a minute, don't you have clients that you need to deal with, even if you're just covering."

David shrugged again. "Not really. None that I know of anyway. I'm covering in Legal Services, so we have walk-in clients. So it's not like I'm tracking cases that require me to spend the whole day in front of the computer. I mean, I have to draft a will for a nineteen-year-old kid, but I've got all day to do that and it's only 10:30 in the morning."

"Well what if…wait!" She stopped and looked up at him, an alarmed look on her face. "Did you just say a will for a nineteen-year-old?"

"He broke his leg in a football game and the aura of invincibility the Marines gave him in boot is shattered. He's not in any real danger, but he's a little paranoid so he wanted one written up." He sighed. "It's not necessarily a bad thing; I just never thought I'd ever be writing out a will for a kid. I mean, my kid sister is nineteen and there's no way she's even remotely thinking about wills."

Caroline shook her head in disbelief. "I'm not going to pretend that I understand the things these men and women are going through. For too many at the Committee, soldiers are just…resources. Senator Daniels is on the Personnel subcommittee and she's done a lot to change my mentality, but it's so surreal to hear about what they go through. A will at nineteen? I can't even imagine." She shook her head again. When she looked up, she saw a group of people crossing the grounds at a distance. "There they are!" She changed her path and began walking towards them.

"That's the senator? The tall one?"

"Yep. That's Senator Brenda Daniels, Republican from Missouri." Caroline stopped and turned to face David. "Thank you again for your help, Lieuten – sorry, I mean David. Actually you didn't really have much to do with finding them, so at the very least, thank you for the company."

"My pleasure." _Now or never, dude._ David cleared his throat before speaking again. "Caroline, I really enjoyed the few minutes we had. I'd love to continue this some other time. You know, like when I'm not at work."

She smiled at the Navy man. "I really did too." Her smile grew even wider as she looked up into his chocolate brown eyes. "But there's no way you're getting my number."

_Well that was direct._ "Really?"

"Not a chance." David's heart dropped into his stomach. He certainly was not expecting that response. _She could have softened it a little._ "But I'll tell you what: you can pick me up for drinks tomorrow. If that goes well, maybe – just maybe – you can have that number. 2221 Northwest 1st Street, in Georgetown. Apartment 726. Can you remember all that, Lawyer Man?"

Quickly getting over his surprise at the reversal, David recited "2221 Northwest 1st, Georgetown, number 726."

Caroline raised an eyebrow in approval. "Not bad. Come by tomorrow night around 8 PM. Pick out somewhere classy but not too formal. And no uniform. If I see you in dress whites, I will throw on sweats and watch a movie at home. Without you."

"I think I can manage that. I'll see you then."

"I certainly hope so…Lieutenant." Caroline winked before turning back and walking towards the senatorial party.

Watching her walk away, David was unable to wipe the bemused look from his face. _Well I'll be damned. That was unexpected._ _Caroline Reynolds. What a fascinating girl_. He turned on heel and headed back towards the main hospital building. Lance Corporal Jimmy Ruiz would probably live for at least another sixty years, but just in case something terrible happened, David had to make sure he was prepared.

* * *

**Author's note: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I don't claim to be an expert on naval or legal affairs. I just like both. I don't know the layout of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and I'm sure my depiction is wildly inaccurate, but I hope you enjoy it for what it is.  
**

**I realize this is not an actual JAG story (with regards to the show), but I figured it would fit in and have an audience here.**

**I'm a college senior preparing to go to law school next year (and hopefully Navy JAG afterwards), so I can't promise regular chapter updates. Once again, I hope you enjoy what I come up with.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

That night, Caroline walked into her apartment and scrambled out of her shoes. It was almost 10 PM and she had showed up at her office fourteen hours ago. After the visit to Walter Reed, she'd met with Senator Daniels for lunch and a debriefing. Unfortunately, that also meant bringing up the San Diego base consolidations. Senator Daniels, who possessed a much more experienced political mind than Caroline, instantly spotted the problems it would cause for her military healthcare proposal. Caroline and other staff members had spent the majority of the day manning phones and email servers, trying to find any allies to help circumvent Senator Fernandez. With the committee meeting on Monday, there was a short amount of time to convince the members who were not on the personnel subcommittee of the necessity of this funding. Between politicking, reading and annotating proposed legislation from other subcommittees, and responding to a inquiry from the commanding officer of Whiteman Air Force Base in western Missouri, Caroline was beat. She'd barely had time to fit in dinner.

A voice came from another room. "Baby, is that you?"

Caroline closed her eyes and smiled at the sound of her roommate's voice. "Yeah, Nicole. Long day, but tomorrow's day should be short because of it."

Nicole, a tall redhead, walked into the front of the apartment to meet Caroline. "Well that's something. Did you eat? I made dumplings and there's plenty left over."

Nicole nodded and slipped off her jacket. "Yep, I ate. Nothing spectacular, but I'm not hungry." She headed towards her room, desperate to change into something more comfortable. Nicole followed, listening. "Something excited happened today."

"Oh? Spill." Caroline did not respond, grinning as she tossed her clothes into the hamper and slipped on an oversized t-shirt. She had been roommates with Nicole since their sophomore year of college, six years ago. Nicole was always starved for gossip, and was terribly impatient when someone was holding out. As a community columnist for the Washington Post, that impulse served her well. It was not so beneficial to her at the moment. "Come on, Carrie, don't do that. You know I can't stand it."

Laughing at her friend's discomfort, Caroline mercifully relented. "I have a date tomorrow."

Nicole's eyes swelled to the size of saucers. "Well _that's_ an unexpected development. Wait, you didn't give Will from the committee a chance, did you?"

"Please. I'm not in the habit of dating men whose political careers were ten years old by the time I was born. No, remember how today was the visit to the military hospital?"

Nodding, Nicole almost squealed. "Ooo…a soldier?"

Shaking her head, Caroline replied. "Not quite. A sailor. Actually, a sailor-lawyer. He's a JAG officer."

"Lawyer, that's always good. Cute?"

"Definitely fun to look at. A little shorter than average, but I'm not a freak like you, so that shouldn't be a problem." The five-foot-eleven-inch Nicole stuck her tongue out.

She suddenly looked pensive. "Does he know who you are?"

Caroline gave her roommate a look. "He knows I'm an aide to Senator Daniels. That's all he needs to know for now."

Nicole shrugged. "He'll find out eventually. And the longer you try to keep it from him, the more likely it is to drive him away."

Glaring, Caroline shot back, "Maybe, maybe not. Either way, that's my decision to make."

"Whatever you say." Nicole turned and started towards her own room. "I'm going to bed early. I have a meeting tomorrow morning. Goodnight, babe. I can't wait to meet this guy. What's his name anyway?"

"David. Lieutenant David Shen."

Nicole turned back. "Asian? Sounds Chinese."

Caroline's brow furrowed. "You know, I'm actually not sure. He didn't really look like anything distinctive. Dark skin, dark hair, actually pretty much dark everything. Maybe he's mixed."

"Alright, well I'm sure he's lovely. See you tomorrow, Carrie."

"Goodnight." When she heard Nicole's door close, Caroline flopped on her bed. She lay still for a few minutes, allowing her feet some rest before standing and going to the bathroom to get ready for bed. When she was finished, she looked at the hallway clock. _11:15. I'll bet Dad is still up. I haven't talked to him in almost a week._

Going back to her room, she plucked her phone from her purse and dialed a number. After a few rings, an operator answered. _"This is the White House, how can I help you on this _late_ night?"_ The operator was clearly annoyed at receiving an outside call so late.

"Good evening, this is Caroline Reynolds-Watson. Can you connect me to the President please?"

"_Of course, Miss Reynolds-Watson. One moment."_ The operator's tone completely changed upon hearing Caroline's name. Caroline rolled her eyes and smiled faintly.

After a few moments Caroline heard a male voice that sounded as haggard as she felt. _"Hey, sweetie. Good to hear from you. How is everything?"_

"You sound like hell, Dad."

"_I'm hanging in there. Your GOP buddies are killing me on this infrastructure bill."_

"Dad…" Caroline's tone was a warning shot.

"_I know, I know. No party politics. It's just been a long day. So I ask you again, how is everything."_

"Good. I was at Walter Reed today with Senator Daniels to evaluate their operational capacity."

"_That's never a fun place to be. Too many good men and women are lying there with broken bodies and broken dreams."_

"Yes, but the care they're receiving is top of the line, from what I've seen. The senator and I would love to see the research side of the medical center get some more funding, but we'll see what happens." Caroline took a deep breath before continuing. "Also, I…uh…I met someone at the hospital."

There was a brief pause before Caroline's father responded. _"You met someone at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center? Please tell me he has all his limbs attached."_

"Dad!" Caroline knew he was joking, but after some of the wounded she saw today, she didn't laugh as she might have the day before.

"_Sorry. So who is he?"_

"He's a Navy JAG officer. His name is David. He definitely smart, and seems really sweet, Dad. We're going out tomorrow night."

"_And I'm sure he's not bad-looking either. Hmm, kiddo?"_

This time, she did laugh. "You and Nicole both! Why do you both go for the same thing?"

"_Because we're both clearly brilliant."_

"I'm sure that's it Dad." She smiled to herself. "So I won't keep you. I'm sure you have a long night ahead of you. Unless you have anything you need to tell me?"

"_Nah. It's business as usual here. With your sister off interning this summer, there's nothing going on over here family-wise. Lately I've been forgetting there's a whole White _House_ build around this Oval Office."_ Father and daughter chuckled together. _"But seriously, nothing's happening that you won't find on the networks. Have fun on your date."_

"Thanks, Dad. Try to get some sleep. I love you."

"_I love you more, sweetie. Goodnight."_

Caroline smiled as she hung up. She put the phone on her nightstand and lay back on her bed. It had been a hard day, but a good day. Hopefully, tomorrow would be just as good.

* * *

Paul F. Watson, 45th President of the United States of America, sighed as he hung up the phone. He glanced back down at the report he had been looking at and continued reading where he left off. After a few seconds, he found it impossible to focus. Picking up the receiver again, he punched in a few numbers. An operator answered. "This is the President calling for SECNAV. Yes, I know Kelly is at home, but I need to leave a message for him or his staff, whoever can hear it first. I have an assignment that must be completed tomorrow morning. Pull files on all male Judge Advocates between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-two who are stationed in the D.C. area. Flag all officers with the first name "David". Emphasize that this is critical and I need those files on my desk as soon as possible. No later than 2 PM tomorrow."

Watson received a confirmation that the order had been received and understood, then hung up. Exhaling heavily, he returned to the report. _I think I can sleep easy tonight. Well, at least as easy as an American president _can _sleep._

* * *

**Author's Note: Reaction from David's side will come in the next chapter. What do you think of the developments so far?I'm trying to write as much as possible in an omniscient, third-person format. If it's coming off as too POV, let me know and I'll do what I can to fix it. **** Comments make me write better.**_  
_


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, David woke up at 4:30 AM, half an hour before his alarm was set to go off. _Well, that's a good sign_. He didn't often wake up early, but when he did, the ensuing day was normally a good one. The best days tended to happen when he got up at 0430, the time days began at Officer Development School. David was certainly superstitious, but it certainly hadn't negatively impacted his life. And if he went into Friday, June 16 feeling good about what would happen, well, his attitude would certainly help make it so…if the universe wasn't feeling generous.

Getting up, David brushed his teeth, put in his contacts, and threw on a t-shirt and some PT shorts. After strapping his iPod to his arm, he stepped out of his small condo. He locked the door, turned on the music, and started to run down the street. Although he worked at the Navy Yard in southern D.C., David lived on the other side of the Potomac, in Alexandria. He loved having access the amenities and nightlife of urban Washington, but he followed a rule he'd developed in college: never party where you sleep. The sun had not yet come up and so David could not see the beautiful Virginia landscape as he ran, but the warm silence that surrounded him could only have been from the suburbs south of the Potomac. David ran in silence, running southeast until he reached Arlington National Cemetery. He didn't normally go so far, but he figured getting up early would give him enough time to run longer and still get to work on time.

As he reached the cemetery the sun began to peak over the horizon, giving him a haunting view of the rows of white headstones. Even after almost two years in the Navy, David still found himself overawed at the glory and history of his service. Facing the gravesite, he snapped to attention, before slowly and deliberately raising his hand to salute the fallen heroes. After completing the gesture, he glanced at his watch. _5:30._ _Plenty of time. Forty-five minutes to get home, twenty for shower and shave, fifteen for breakfast, and that leaves me over an hour to get to the office._ At that time, traffic shouldn't be an issue, but you never knew in D.C.

Fortunately, everything went according to schedule and David reached his office early. Half an hour early. He was the first person there, officer or enlisted – a rarity. Entering his office, David sat down in his desk chair and closed his eyes, smiling. He enjoyed the life of a JAG officer and was willing to serve wherever he was needed, but he'd missed his normal job at Navy Yard Command Services while covering at Walter Reed. Despite the long hours and meager government pay, he'd found a job he loved. Of the four rotations he'd had in his first tour, Command Services was certainly his favorite. Maybe one day he'd want a fleet assignment in Operations Law, but being a legal advisor on shore suited him just fine for now.

Suddenly, David's head jerked up. He frantically pulled up the calendar on his computer. As his eyes scrolled down to today's date , he saw what he was afraid of. "Damn." Picking up his office phone, he punched in a number and put the earpiece up to his face. _Come on, come on…_

"_Sergeant Carlos Alvarez, who is this?"_

"Dude, you _have _to put my office number in your phone. It's David."

"_Oh hey there, Lieutenant. What's going on?"_ Carlos Alvarez was David's closest cousin. They'd graduated high school the same year, albeit on opposite sides of the country. While David headed off to Miami for college, Carlos had gone to San Diego and enlisted in the Marines. After spending time in Afghanistan and California, he'd met a wonderful girl and gotten married. A deployment in Okinawa and one baby boy later, he'd finally gotten an East Coast assignment. His transfer to Quantico had been partly motivated by David's commissioning and assignment to Washington.

"Carlos, you're going to love what I'm about to say, then hate what I say afterwards."

A laugh rolled in through the phone. _"How about you let me decide that _after_ you tell me?"_

"So the good news is I've got a date."

Carlos let out a delighted whoop. David had to hold the phone away from his ear until it subsided. _"Nice going, big guy. Who is she?"_

"She's a senator's aide. She's only twenty-five, so she probably has some well-connected family to get that job so young."

"_Cousin, I'm an air traffic controller for the Marines. All I got from that is that she works for a senator, and I'm sure that's not exactly the most interesting thing about her."_

David snorted in amusement. "She's smart, she's cute, and she's tiny enough to wear heals and still not make me feel short. That's all I got from the ten minutes that we talked, other than her job. You want more? Wait until _after_ the date." He paused. "So here's the part you won't like. That date? It's tonight. I won't be able to drive down for dinner tonight."

"_Well _I'm _certainly not mad. Hell, I've seen your ugly face around here more in the last month than I did in the first eighteen years of my life. Emily will be a little upset. And Charlie? Man, the kid is going to be disappointed. He _loves_ having Uncle David around."_ Carlos's tone was teasing, but David knew he was serious about his six-year-old son's impending disappointment. Being honest, David himself was a bit disappointed. Even if he wasn't technically Charlie's uncle, he was around a lot and loved the little guy.

"I know, and I hate skipping out on him. But this girl is awesome and I don't want to blow things with her." Thinking quickly, David pulled up a website as he continued talking. "How about this: I miss dinner tonight, but I'll take Charlie to the Nats game tomorrow. The Marlins are in town and I have a buddy from college who works with them. If I can't get tickets from him, I'll buy them at the gate tomorrow."

"_A ballgame with Uncle David…gee I wonder how he's going to respond to that? Hey you know what? Way to invite me to the game. Jerk."_

"Please. You're overjoyed that I'm giving you a chance to have a day off."

"_Ha. Ha. You're stealing my son away from me and I'm supposed to be grateful? Weird way of looking at things, cousin. Alright, when are you going to come by?"_

"Around ten in the morning?" As he spoke, David began rearranging items on his calendar to reflect the new plans.

"_Sounds good to me. You know what, why don't you stay for dinner _tomorrow_? Emily is going to want to interrogate you about your date."_

"Sure…use your wife as a shield for your desire for gossip. Real mature, Carlos."

"_Shut up," _laughed the Marine sergeant. _"Don't you have someone to sue or something?"_

"Careful, or you might be the defendant," teased David. "I may be your cousin, but I'm still an officer and I _so_ have grounds nail you for insubordination."

"_Yeah, yeah. Alright, Mr. Big Shot Officer, I'll let you get to work. I'm about to clock in myself. And I'll explain everything to Emily and Charlie. I'll see you tomorrow."_

"See you cousin. Be safe."

"_You too."_

As David hung up the phone, he heard the rustling of judge advocates and legalmen entering the office. Checking the wall clock, he pulled up his email inbox, checking for any cases which needed to be addressed. He didn't find anything at first, but within a few minutes, he received a request for information. A civilian case that was currently being tried involved a mugging that had taken place across the street from the Navy Yard. As there was a chance that the Navy's security cameras had captured footage of the incident, the office of the U.S. Attorney for D.C. was requesting access to the relevant tapes.

David stood up and stretched, then started towards the security archives. Because the cameras and the footage captured by them were the property of the United States Navy, it was possible that some of the footage could contain classified or secret information which could not be given to civilians. Even U.S. Attorneys would not be allowed to see such footage without proper judicial and Congressional authorization. Therefore, it fell on David to review the relevant footage and determine whether it could be released to the civilian prosecutor. The U.S. Attorney wanted footage between 2315 and 2340 on the night in question. Just to be safe, he watched everything between 2300 and midnight. David did see the mugging in question, as well as all the events that lead up to it. Nothing secret was revealed during the hour, so David decided that portion of footage would be safe to give to the prosecutor. _I don't know how useful he'll find it though – you can't see many facial features or identifying marks through the darkness. But there's always more to evidence than meets the eye – especially since I don't know what the guy is looking for._ Turning to the ensign supervising the archives, he identified the footage to be copied and told him to send a copy to his office, where he would review the disk before having it sent to the U.S. Attorney's office. He then returned to his office, preparing a response to the prosecutor in his head. Sitting back down at his computer, he saw a half-dozen new emails waiting for him. A grin slowly spread across David's face. _If I can smile at this pile of new cases, I guess I'm in the right line of work._

He moved through the different issues carefully. Some were resolved in a matter of minutes, others took longer. As he'd done a handful of times since being assigned to Command Services, David allowed himself to become so engrossed in work that he skipped lunch without realizing it. When his stomach finally rumbled enough to draw his attention, it was almost 1400. _It's not worth it to get food now. Just a few more hours, and I'll grab a bite to eat on the way home._ As soon as David had he decided on that course of action, Legalman Petty Officer Second Class Victor Bruno – his paralegal – entered his office and saluted. "Lieutenant Shen, orders."

David returned the salute. Other officers who enjoyed close relationships with their enlisted men often decided to forgo the ceremonials of saluting and treat the men under their command as casually as a civilian might. While David considered Victor a good friend, he still demanded that basic protocol and niceties be followed. In return, he gave his men more than a fair amount of room to exercise their own initiative. He returned the salute, then nodded in acknowledgement. "What's going on, Victor?"

"Sounds like you get to punch out early today, sir. The big boss wants to see you at 1530. After that, you're at liberty until Monday."

David frowned. "I wonder what Admiral McGuinn wants. And I wonder why he didn't just call."

"You misunderstand, sir. Actually, I was unclear. Sorry, sir. It's not Admiral McGuinn who requested your presence. When I said the 'big boss', I meant _the_ big boss. The president asked for you. You're expected at the White House in ninety minutes."

The slightly puzzled frown the lawyer had been wearing quickly morphed into a look of utter confusion. "The president? Are you sure, Victor?"

"Yes, sir. The order was faxed over from the White House. I can show you the fax with the president's seal and everything if you'd like."

David waved that suggestion off. "No, no. I believe you. Well I certainly was not expecting this today…or ever, for that matter. I hope it doesn't take too long, I've got a date tonight." Victor, unsure of how to respond, remained silent. "Well, an order is an order. I have no reason to think it's unlawful, so I have no choice but to obey it. If I get to leave early, you do as well, Victor. Get out of here. Go pick your kid up from school. You should be able to make it, and she'll like that little surprise."

The legalman smiled wide. "Aye aye, sir." He turned and left the office, leaving David alone with his confusion. When he passed through the White House security checkpoints an hour and twenty minutes later, he was no closer to figuring out why he'd been ordered to report to the Commander-in-Chief. A Secret Service agent escorted him through a maze of hallways and into the Oval Office, before inviting the naval officer to sit and explaining that the president would arrive momentarily.

As predicted, President Watson entered the room within a couple minutes. Almost by reflex, David shot out of his seat and came to attention. "Attention on deck!" The president came around and stood behind his desk. David's arm snapped up in the most precise salute he'd given since ODS.

After a moment's hesitation, the president returned the salute. "Please be seated, Lieutenant." David sat, but his back remained ramrod straight. He'd never met a president before, and he did not want to do anything embarrassing, so staying at attention seemed like a good idea. "I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here, Lieutenant."

"Honestly, Mr. President, I have absolutely no idea why I'm here. As far as I know, I haven't worked any cases of a particularly sensitive nature, and I can't remember anything that would have compromised national security." David paused momentarily, thinking of the security tapes from earlier that day. "Even so, I highly doubt it would be an issue for you to take up with me, sir. My CO or even SECNAV, I could understand." He stopped again. "I'm rambling. I'm sorry, Mr. President."

David thought he saw a slight smile pull at the corners of the president's mouth, but if it was there, he killed it quickly. "No, Lieutenant Shen. This has nothing to do with your work. In fact, your career thus far does you great credit. May I call you David?"

"Of course, Mr. President. You're the president, and you're my boss. You can call me whatever you want. And thank you for the compliment on my career, sir."

President Watson stood and walked around to sit across from David. "David, you're meeting one of Senator Daniels's aides tonight, aren't you? The one who works with the Armed Services Committee?"

David frowned. "Yes sir. But how did you know that?"

Watson waved the question away. "That's hardly relevant. I just needed to make sure you were still going."

David suddenly had a feeling of dread. "Mr. President, are you hoping to use me to get information about the senator's legislative agenda? I know Senator Daniels is a Republican and you've taken issue with some GOP defense policy initiatives."

This time, the president _did_ smile and let out a slight chuckle. "No, Mr. Shen, I'm not going to use your personal life for political reasons. I don't know what your political affiliation is, but I can assure you I'm certainly not that kind of politician. The reason why I'm asking is that I want to ensure that you will treat her with respect."

_Now I've got absolutely _no_ clue why I'm here._ "Of course, Mr. President. I would never treat Miss Reynolds with anything but the utmost courtesy. But sir, why would my date be an issue that requires me to come here?"

Another grin formed on Watkins's face. "David, do you know your date's full name?" When the JAG officer did not answer, the president continued. "It's Caroline Elyse Reynolds-_Watkins_. Caroline is my oldest daughter."

If David had allowed the shock he felt to show, he would have been a terrible lawyer. That didn't mean he wasn't completely freaking out. _How could she not tell me she's the First Daughter? That's kind of a big deal!_ "I was not aware of that, Mr. President. However, it does not change my opinion of her, or how I will treat her tonight." _I can't show him I'm rattled._ Putting on a brave smile, he quipped, "Isn't this usually the part where the president threatens his daughter's suitor with surveillance by the combined intelligence community and the potential of facing the full might of the American military machine?"

"Lieutenant Shen, you are an officer in that military machine. There's no reason to threaten you when you fully know the power I can bring to bear if you mistreat my daughter. Besides, as you said earlier, I'm your boss. I don't need to use military force to hold your good behavior hostage when I can kill your career with the stroke of a pen."

"Sir, with all due respect, you picked the wrong officer to threaten with that. I'm not a submariner, a quartermaster, or a medical officer. I'm a lawyer and a damn good one, if you'll excuse my language. I know a wrongful termination suit when I see one and I know I can beat whatever U.S. Attorney gets put up against me." David's hard grin turned less antagonistic. "Besides sir, even if I somehow lose, a lawsuit will severely damage the credibility of the government and your administration. You of all people should know that. Even with a mixed court record, your antitrust lawsuits ended up taking down down four megacorporations in Michigan: one from judicial action and three by public action following a loss. When someone gets sued, they always lose – even if they win."

The president laughed, not maliciously. "Not bad, David. I have to wonder, though: how is it that you know my court record but you didn't know Caroline was my daughter?"

"Well, Mr. President, I always do my research on political candidates, especially the ones vying for places in Washington. That research is generally limited to their political history and any relevant nonpolitical careers. You were one of the most famous antitrust lawyers of our time. That doesn't go unnoticed. Your family, on the other hand, wasn't really something I looked at." David shrugged. "Maybe I should change that policy."

Watkins nodded knowingly. "I can understand where you're coming from. Obviously I'm not actually holding your commission over your head. I just wanted to meet you and let you know what you're in for. Caroline likes living out of the spotlight. You didn't see any Secret Service agents when you met her yesterday; that's not because they blended in so well, but because she refuses an escort. She's refused a half-dozen jobs that pay much better than her current one, though I think that has as much to do with her moderate conservative sympathies as it does with her being offered because of my position. Honestly, I doubt she would have told you she was the president's daughter. At least not for a long while. I just want all the cards on the table."

"Sir, she's the aide to a Republican senator and you just mentioned she favors the GOP personally. You're the darling of the Democratic Party and have been for some time. Is that an issue I'm going to have to worry about?"

The president laughed again. "Don't worry about that. We disagree mightily about everything political. However, we don't let it affect our personal relationship – mostly by avoiding the topic altogether. I love my daughter and am immensely proud of her." Watkins glanced at his watch. "And although I've enjoyed this chat, I must regrettably dismiss you. I've gone over my allotted 'father time' and have to go back to being the President of the United States."

The two men rose and David saluted the president once more. "Thank you for seeing me, Mr. President. Not every father is so respectful to their daughter's date. I could hardly fault you for being more aggressive given the resources you have at your disposal."

"It was my pleasure, David." The president returned the salute. "Have fun tonight. Just don't forget that Caroline may be a grown woman, but she's still my little girl."

"Yes sir!"

"Dismissed, Lieutenant." President Watkins turned and returned to his desk. At that, David turned and walked out of the Oval Office, escorted by another Secret Service agent.

_So I've got a date with the First Daughter. Holy. Crap. This is like "My Boss's Daughter" but a billion times more intense. This guy has ordered successful drone strikes against three al-Qaeda leaders and he's only been in office for five months! I _really _can't afford to mess this up!_

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**Author's note: Thank you to those who have favorited, followed, and reviewed so far. It means a lot to me and I hope you're enjoying what you're reading. Next up: the date itself!**


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